Credits: Science Museum

Reconstructed from a painting at the Sorbonne in Paris, this diorama shows Ambroise Paré (c. 1510-1590), a French surgeon, treating the wounded outside a cathedral after battle. Infections such as gangrene often meant that minor wounds resulted in the amputation of limbs. Here, Paré is demonstrating an important technique he introduced to tie off blood vessels after amputations. The wound was then covered with loose bandages. Previously, blood vessels were sealed using boiling oil or a cautery, causing further agony to the patient who only had alcohol or herbal remedies for pain relief. In the scene, treated soldiers are standing by a fire and a bishop blesses the surgeon’s efforts, emphasising the value of Paré's work.